A Look At International Beer Babes From Around The World Ireland Home of the world�s most famous stout, The Emerald Isle is proud to provide us with beautiful fair skinned lass� and the dark complected Guinness Dry Stout. Born in Dublin, Ireland in the late 1700s there is truly nothing like a properly poured Guinness. IMG SOURCE: United States Although the United States is one of the newer countries in the world, its domestic beers run deep within the culture. Between the hundreds of microbreweries brewing handcrafted beer, and the Coors Brewing Company in Golden, CO and Anheuser-Busch in St Louis, MO (Budweiser), major sporting events and college parties are almost exclusively fueled by this great American pastime. IMG SOURCE: Australia When you think of Australia, it�s easy to envision sandy beaches, crystal clear waters and beautiful skinny blondes-a-plenty. Fortunately, when it comes to Australian beers, the imagery is not much different -- between Fosters and the Skinny Blonde Lager, their is no shortage of jaw-dropping smoothness. IMG SOURCE: Caribbean The Caribbean Islands are certainly an exotic destination where you�ll find pure relaxation and island inspired spirits.

Brewed by the Carib Brewing Company of Trinidad and Tobago, Carib beer is a premium lager that will sooth the senses and bring out the beauty in all that you see. IMG SOURCE: Spain While most people think of red sand and traditional sangria in association with Spain, it�s hard to ignore their elegant women and supreme cerveza. Brewed by the Grupo Mahou-San Miguel in Madrid since 1890, Mahou and Cinco Estrellas are both local favorites and the drink of choice for many post-siesta Spanish nights. IMG SOURCE: Japan Entering the list as our first Asian variety, Sapparo is a Japanese lager that is easily the country�s most notable brew. Even though the beer is now made in both Japan and Canada, the first Sapparo was brewed in Tokyo and has been the preferred beer of Japanese women in white bikinis since 1876. IMG SOURCE: Poland When you�re in such close proximity to the brewing motherland of Germany, good beer and beautiful blondes are bound to be close by.

In fact, in the next country over, Poland boasts a world class pale lager called Zywiec Full -- a Polish favorite since 1852. IMG SOURCE: Brazil Widely known for its topless beaches and fever for dance, Brazil can also be recognized for its refreshing Devassa beer. Ironically, even though Brazil is considered a somewhat sexually uninhibited culture, Paris Hilton�s �sexy� Devassa TV commercial sparked an uproar because it allegedly violated Brazil�s laws against using sex to sell alcohol. IMG SOURCE: Switzerland Leave it to the Swiss to bring a feminine touch to a beer brand. Yep, Eve is a beer from Switzerland that is marketed as a beer for women only -- the reason, it has less alcohol than most beers and boasts a mild taste with a litchi or grapefruit aroma. Whether it suits your tastes or not, you�re sure to enjoy the blonde bombshell holding the beer. IMG SOURCE: Belgium / UK Even though Belgium is most widely known for its ales, pilsner lagers such as Stella Artois and its sister beer Jupiler, put the small country on the map as they make up for almost 75% of all Belgian beer production.

First brewed in Leuven, Belgium in 1366, Stella Artois is now predominantly brewed in the UK -- but a dutch hometown hero nonetheless. IMG SOURCE: Thailand Making the list as another notable Asian beer, Thailand�s top selling Singha pale lager has been brewed by the Boon Rawd Brewery since 1933. Marked by the Singha lion and preferred by Thailand�s finest women, this brew puts the small country on the map. Netherlands Though it was technically created in the Netherlands in 1873, the famous Heineken pilsner is now a worldwide operation with Heineken International breweries in the USA, UK and, of course, the Netherlands. Recognized for its signature green bottle, this brew tastes as pretty she looks. IMG SOURCE: Germany Okay, being the international Beer & Babes powerhouse that it is, this list must end with one last shout out to Germany -- this time for its world renown creation of Oktoberfest. On behalf of all the world, thank you Germany for your contribution of beautiful women serving and drinking mass quantities of beautiful beer. We�re all merrier as a result. Prost!

IMG SOURCE: Leuven Travel Guide | Belgium | Beer Tourism Email • Print About Leuven, the capital city (and beer capital) of Flemish Brabant, is a small university town right on the doorstep of Brussels . It's the kind of place that punches well above its weight, though. It might only have 90,000 souls Oude Markt © BeerTourism.com living within its municipal border, but that border also encloses the oldest and largest university in the Low Countries – the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven – and the largest brewing company in the world – AB InBev of Stella Artois fame. Leuven is also considered one of the prettiest – and liveliest – of Belgium's small cities. As a thriving student town, gifted with ancient colleges, ringed by science parks and plagued by hordes of cycling graduates, it could be a Belgian version of Oxford or Cambridge. Just arguably with a nicer food, better beer (and a thick Flemish accent).

Its small-town (and yet decidedly cosmopolitan) historical charm is all the more surprising, when you remember that Leuven is one of the places to have suffered most from the heavy hand of Germany's 'schrecklichkeit' (terror or 'hard measures'), in the First World War . Hundreds of civilians were killed, Leuven's University town charm © BeerTourism.com and the University library burnt to the ground, as the German Army sought to punish resistance (real or imagined) by the town's citizens in 1914. The unlucky library was, however, rebuilt and restocked, and similarly much of the architectural glory of Leuven remains intact for the visitor's viewing pleasure. Also very much laid out for the visitor is a friendly welcome, especially for those partial to a sip or three of Belgium's amber nectar. But while Leuven's big corporate brewer – and its Stella, Leffe and Hoegaarden brands – may dominate the bars and cafés, there's plenty else to distract and savour for the beer connoisseur. And there's much else to watch and do, too, with beer in hand. This is city that has to keep its students entertained, after all.

But the first visitors who came to this spot on the Dijle River, 1,200 years ago, didn't receive quite such a warm welcome. In fact, that Viking army came very much to regret its trip to Leuven-to-be. Good beer hunting at the 2016 Zythos Beer Festival LEUVEN - Hordes of beer lovers are flowing towards Leuven. They come from all around Belgium and far beyond. ‘Zythos’ is ... [ more ] Great Belgian Beer Dinner 2015 LEUVEN - The Great Belgian Beer Dinner is an annual event for lovers of gastronomy and beer pairing. Last year’s edition ... [ more ] Zythos Beer Festival 2015 LEUVEN - Big, bigger, biggest... with around 17.000 visitors, it feels like the eleventh Zythos beer festival in Leuven ... [ more ] Going for gold: Brussels Beer Challenge 2014 LEUVEN - As many as 79 Belgian breweries with 200 Belgian beers took part in the third edition of the international Brus ...

[ more ] Professor Jo Swinnen: Halfway between tradition and innovation LEUVEN - Our passion for a good brew in the glass can make us forget that brewing beer is an important economic activity ... [ more ] History It was 891 AD when the Viking 'tourists' arrived. And their reception party came courtesy of a certain King Arnulf, the Frankish ruler of Carinthia, and his men-at-arms. They dealt a heavy blow to the marauding Vikings in © BeerTourism.com the battle that followed – in fact it was said that the bodies of the slain Northmen blocked the flow of the River Dijle. And legend further has it that the red-and-white flag of the city of Leuven represents the river after that battle, foaming red with Viking blood. Following this rout, King Arnulf built a castle on an island in the Dijle – and Leuven was born. Initially Leuven grew slowly, as the home-town of the Counts of Leuven, who took up residence here at the start of the 11th-century. But when the counts expanded their territory, and became the Dukes of Brabant, the town swelled in importance.

As with many other Flemish cities, its streets also swelled with wool and cloth. By the 14th-century, Leuven had built its own Cloth Hall, a grandiose Gothic marvel, and had Gothic grandiosity of Leuven's Stad Hall © BeerTourism.com even given its name to a high-quality linen cloth (known as lewyn). However, aristocratic favour was a fickle thing, and when the Dukes moved to Brussels, they took much of the high-class cloth trade with them – and Leuven faltered a little. That's when the those wily Leuven townsfolk had a brainwave – they would become a university town to compete with Paris, Vienna or Cologne. A petition was drawn up, Pope Martin V acquiesced, and 1425 the University of Louvain was born. The students have been a mainstay of the town's economy ever since. But even their presence couldn't help forestall the calamities of the 1600's: plagues, sieges and rebellion saw the town's inhabitants fall to less than 10,000.

The 18th-century was a happier time for Leuven, now part of the Austrian Netherlands. New roads were built, and a canal – linking Leuven to the Rupel and onto the Scheldt, near Antwerp – was dug and completed in 1763. That was funded by the town's brewers, who were thriving at this time. After the French revolution, Napoleon's armies came a-calling (in 1794), and Leuven became part of France for a while. He closed down the University, but this interlude in its long history was relatively brief. It was reinstated in 1817, after Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo. A darker period of occupation was to come, however, 100 years later, when the Germany army took awful revenge here, during the First World War . Schrecklichkeit in Leuven In August 1914, Leuven was a city right in the path of the German army advance through neutral Belgium. The German plan was to seek to outflank the French from the north, and so bring the war in the West to a quick end.

The Germans needed to move fast, and were terrified of attacks by Burned-out Catholic University library (1914) © Wikipedia armed civilians – franc-tireurs they called them – and their commanders decided to deal harshly with any sign of resistance. They made good on that on that threat in Leuven, on the 25th August, when a confused retreat by another German unit led to those German soldiers already in Leuven to think they were under attack by its citizens. A systematic orgy of looting, destruction and shooting of unarmed civilians followed. For five days the town was terrorized. The police force was rounded up and shot, as was Leuven's burgomaster and the University's rector; hundreds of the townspeople were killed. Many more citizens were rounded up, humiliated and packed off into trains for Germany. Over 1,600 buildings were set alight, and important cultural landmarks were torched. These included the Sint-Pieterskerk (Church of St.Pierre), the Academie des Beaux-Arts, the Palais de Justice, the theatre, and many University buildings – most notoriously the University library.

The deliberate burning of the library – which saw over 230,000 books, 750 medieval manuscripts and more than 1,000 ancient printed books (called incunables) go up smoke – shocked the world as much as the human casualties. It was this incident, more than any other, that helped the Allies paint the Germans as destroyers Leuven University library as it is today © Milo Profi of civilization – and led to them being called 'Huns' for the rest of the war. Some believe this notorious incident also helped bring the Americans into the War on the Allied side. The Second World War also saw Leuven as a point of conflict, but nothing on the scale of First. Post-war, Leuven successfully picked itself up, dusted itself off and carried on. The modern era has seen the city quietly getting on with the business it does best – expanding the minds of its students, growing the technologies of the future, and brewing the big brands that the world has come to know Belgium beer by.

Getting There & Getting About Leuven is close enough to Brussels to make it easy to reach, but far enough away to avoid much of the congestion and transport hassles the capital is notorious for. If you want to fly in, the obvious choice is to come © BeerTourism.com via National Airport, which is in Zaventem, 15 miles to the west. There's a direct train connection from the airport terminal to Leuven's central station. Or if you'd prefer, the closeness of the airport makes taking a taxi a reasonably-priced, no-hassle journey. The Eurostar option is also a good one, as it's easy enough to get into Brussels from London, St. Pancras these days. And the train from Brussels to Leuven gets there in about 20 minutes. If you're coming from elsewhere within Belgium, train travel works very well too – Leuven itself is a major railway hub, well-integrated to the rest of the country. © BeerTourism.com Getting here by car – for example if you've come by ferry or the Chunnel – is simple enough too. Just follow the signs to Brussels.

Most come here from the Channel coast using the E40/A10, skirting around Brussels on the E40/R0 ring-road, and coming off at E40/A3 exit (signposted for Genk / Hasselt /Leuven). You'll only be on the A3 a short while before you hook a left onto the E314, which brings you straight to Leuven town, and its all-encircling ring road. Once in Leuven, you'll find getting about is easy – the town is small enough that walking and cycling are sensible options, with cycle hires easy to come by. And there are some great cycle paths that reach from the city centre to the leafy surrounding countryside. Local buses are operated by Eurolines and De Lijn, plying routes both within town and to the outer suburbs, and are reasonably-priced and frequent. Accommodation Despite its need to cater to the student market, Leuven isn't short of classy hotels set in some intriguing locations. Want to spend some time in the 16th-century home of Charles V personal secretary? Try the four-star Klooster's Hotel. © Alizée Want to view over the Schouwburg playhouse?

Try the three-star Theatre Hotel. Not all are as expensive as the locales may indicate, and there are plenty of good value and budget hotels further out. Perhaps the real unsung gems in Leuven are its numerous B&B's in the centre of town, occupying a wonderfully diverse range of historical buildings. Some of these are kept to a level of furnishing and service that would shame hotels in other countries. Quite a few are also on the basic side; 'kots' that serve mainly as student 'digs', but which will give you a down-to-earth Leuven experience that won't empty your wallet. And talking of budget, Leuven naturally enough is home to several hostels, two of which are to be found in the city centre. For The Love Of Beer It won't come as a shock to learn that in a city home to AB (Anheuser-Busch) InBev – the world's biggest brand-name brewery – you'll be hard-pressed to find bar or café without a Leffe, Hoegaarden or Stella Artois plaque prominent on the sign-age.

Best way to enjoy Oude Markt's charm © BeerTourism.com But luckily for those who've come to sample the diversity, history and eclectic tastes of Belgian beer, the story of Leuven doesn't start and end with AB InBev's triumvirate of globe-hopping beers. Though actually, Stella Artoiscould be said to have been their from the beginning.. but more on that later. No, the best place to begin with Leuven's beer is probably the heart of the self-styled 'beer capital' – the Oude Markt. Or as it has now become known, the 'longest bar in Europe'. This central square is home to around 40 bars, and in summer their outdoor terraces take over a long continuous slice of it. Of course quantity doesn't equal quality, but tucked among the identikit tourist-traps, a few of Oude Markt's star bars shine out. Café Belge has a nice 'brown café' feel to, and a good selection of brews, including several of the local Domus beers. A bit further along, De Kroeg claims to be the oldest café on the square (but don't they all?); however it certainly looks the part.

It also has an interesting beer range, that stretches from The tiny Domus brewhouse © BeerTourism.com the usual suspects to the wider regional beers, such as the Karmeliet and Wolf 8. So bars-a-plenty in central Leuven. But when it comes to breweries, you may be slightly disappointed to know there are only 2 brew-slingers in town. First, the mighty magnum of AB InBev, with the gleaming slab of modernity that is its Stella brewery. And then the pea-shooter micro-brewery of Domus, housed adjacent to the tavern where its beers are served. We know which we'd rather visit. And the quaint-yet-friendly atmosphere of the Huisbrouwerij Domus doesn't disappoint. The beers on offer are a red-amber tinted 5.8% ABV ale, Nostra Domus, and an unfiltered Pilsner 5% ABV lager, the Con Domus, plus a seasonal Christmas ale, Nen Engel (all darkness, De Hoorn brewing hall © De Hoorn sweetness and light frothy head – and definitely no angel).

Tours of this crooked and quirky brewery are often led by the brewer himself, Gert Christiaens, and end with a generous in-house sampling. Interesting, but if you want to dig deeper into the brewing of the region's characteristic beers, you'll have to step out of town. Leuven is, however, well-placed for visits to many iconic Hageland brewing spots, such as the De Vlier, Kortrijk-Dutsel and De Block breweries. Talking of icons, what about that most iconic of Leuven's beers, the Stella? It was indeed here in Leuven that Sebastien Artois bought the iconic Den © Marco Mertens Hoorn brewery, back in 1717. It can track its brewing pedigree back to 1366. So Stella trumps all, in the longevity stakes at least. Den Hoorn is still in the city, though no longer a brewery – it is now a meeting space open for hire by 'creative minds'. The founding of Sebastien's brewing family at Den Horn would culminate, in 1926, with an extra-carbonated version of their Artois, which was christened Stella.

It caught on, and the rest is (beer) history. Food & Gastronomy Being the capital of Flemish Brabant, Leuven naturally does Flemish cuisine – and it does it well. But what's striking about this city is the wild diversity of its restaurants and eateries, which Gerecht © Toerisme Leuven cover just about every flavour of international gastronomy imaginable. There are over 1,700 cafés, and 200 restaurants in Leuven: Chinese, Italian, Moghlai (Indian), Mexican, Thai and Spanish establishments complement the usual French and Flemish ones, especially in the student districts. It seems the students of Leuven are keen to have the world's foods and beverages easily to hand, to help fuel their studies. If you want to go properly native, you can readily find the finest that the Brabant has to offer at restaurants like the Kokoon (round the corner from the Oude Markt) or the Improvisio, which has an excellent reputation for modern Belgian-French cuisine. Muntstraat, with its elegant 17th and 18th-century, houses, is a particular favourite for those looking out for the best in European dining.

A typical menu at a Leuven restaurant naturally includes the Flemish standards – such as the Flanders-redbruin infused stew, 'vlaamse stoofkarbonaden' or the mussels and fries of 'mosselen-friet' – but with plenty of fresh © BeerTourism.com Brabant vegetables. Crisp endives, tender asparagus and locally-grown Hoeilaart grapes are popular for side-dishes and salads. Delicacies specific to Leuven include the sweet aperitif wine, Livonia, the banana liqueur, Musa Lova and (keeping it sweet-toothed) Leuven Fonskes chocolates, miniatures cast in cocoa in the shape of the famous Fonske statue, found in the centre of town. And of course a meal in Leuven without at least one glass of Stella would be doing the town a disservice. Shopping & Markets Little Leuven may not have been a great market town in the recent past, unlike some of the grander Belgian cities. But it has forged its own shopping identity, thanks to the 30,000 students and university staff, who live, work and shop here.

So rather than massive malls, and endless parades of top-brand stores, Leuven has developed Mechelsestraat © Flupke a lively community of independent shops and boutiques. Some of the more interesting of these can be found in the quarter around the Mechelsestraat, Vismarkt and Wandelingenstraat streets. A decidedly artistic and eclectic bent can be discovered in their lanes, which specialise in original fashion, collectibles and antiques, artisan products and local foodstuffs. Belgian designers such as Dries van Noten, Kaat Tilley and Chine, are promoted by boutiques on the Mechelsestraat, with other shops purveying speciality cheeses, Leuven linens and creative gift ideas. If you prefer you shopping mainstream, try the main shopping street of Bondgenotenlaan; along its length is where the main department stores of the town are strung. The large square of the Monseigneur Ladeuzeplein, overlooked by the town's library, is where Leuven's general market is held every Friday and Saturday.

There is also an all-day antique and flea-market held around Mathieu de Layensplein and the lanes of the Mechelsestraat. Sightseeing & Culture An interesting and off-track approach to taking-in the sights of Leuven is to skip along a route that links its many individual (some would say distinctly odd) sculptural efforts. These are far from being just about the The Fonske in the Grote Markt © BeerTourism.com 'high-art', with many exhibiting a wickedly Flemish sense of humour. The starting point has to be the town's adopted mascot – the Fonske. This quirky bronze, in the centre of the Grote Markt, is something of a commemoration to the student spirit coursing through the town. It depicts a young denizen of the University, reading a book and literally pouring wisdom into his head, from what looks like a tankard. Whether this is meant to imply that the source of all knowledge is to be found at the bottom of a beer glass, well that's probably best left to the philosophers..

Sint-Pieterskerk © BeerTourism.com The Grote Markt itself is overlooked by the Gothic frivolity of the town's Cloth Hall, which is literally dripping in gorgeous stonework and sculptural excess – it's home to no less than 236 statutes (allegedly, one of them is nude..). The square also houses Leuven's main religious building, the equally Gothic, but more stalwart, Saint Peter's Church (or Sint-Pieterskerk). And if it looks like the church's tower is half-built, well that's because it is. The original tower was abandoned after a fire, and the grand vision of a 550-foot high tower, started in 1505, was also abandoned after the local soils decided they weren't up to supporting such a massive edifice. From the somewhat whimsical Fonske, to the definitely tragic Fiere Margriet. This next sculpture of note is a dramatic nude of a poor young woman, murdered by robbers in the time of Henry, the Duke of Brabant. Her body was tossed into the river, but was miraculously transported back up the river Dijle by fish.

Fiere Margriet © Wikipedia When the Duke saw her corpse floating in the river, bathed in a holy light, he declared a miracle, and the legend of 'Fierce Mary' was born. The sculpture at the corner of Muntstraat and Tiensestraat depicts Fiere Margriet floating in the river. Close by is the (imaginatively named) Museum M, Leuven's well-regarded home to Brabantine art and design – from Classic to Renaissance to Contemporary. 'Contemporary' is the word for the museum building itself, only completed in 2009, all jutting angles and clean cream lines. Apparently its exhibitions are insightful and creatively displayed. But if you tire of its well-meaning cultural parade, the roof of the Museum provides an excellent M - Museum Leuven Garden © Jan Kempenaers vantage point over the whole city. The last statue on our itinerary (though there many more, with over 30 sculptural highlights documented by the Leuven's tourist board!) is the wonderfully crude De Koeieschieter, or the Cow Shooter.

Halfway up the Brusselstraat (and not too far from the Kruidtuin botanical gardens, the oldest herb collection in Belgium) this broad, fat (and again nude!) man represents a fine upstanding member of Leuven's militia. Apparently, in 1691, this warrior band mistook, in a dense fog, a herd of cattle for invading French: these sharpshooters then put a heroic defence against the hapless herbivores. This little incident earned the Leuvens the nickname 'Koeieschieters', or the cow-shooters. Activities & Entertainment One thing you won't have difficulty in finding in Leuven is a crowded bar or club. The city has a lively night-life that spills out from the hotspots of the Oude Markt, and includes many small dance clubs, jazz-bars and student drinking-holes. Zythos © Toerisme Leuven It is not, however, the best place for mammoth night-club events – most go to Brussels for that. But Leuven does have its fair share of bigger party-time festivals throughout the year.

For the past few years Leuven has been host to the Zythos Beer Festival , which usually happens in April. Zythos is the national beer-drinkers group that promotes the best in Belgian beer (a little like the UK's CAMRA), and over 100 breweries have attended, beers-crates in tow, in recent years. So this is a very good reason to red-line April in your calendar, © BeerTourism.com for your visit to Leuven. In July there's the Rock Werchter festival, a great one for those who like it loud and proud. A more laid-back music vibe can also be had throughout July, as part of the Beleuvenissen, which typically includes jazz, blues and classical performances. It takes place every Friday of that month, in a number of venues in the Oude Markt, Grote Markt, and elsewhere in Leuven. And in August there's the more general pop music festival of the MarktRock, which takes over much of central Leuven for a weekend.

Theatre is also a big draw in Leuven, with six theatres, ranging from the comedy of the Amusemente Theatre, to the serious drama of the Braakland Zhebilding, to amateur student performances at the Janus International Theatre. But if your interest in professional dramatics is more of the sort to be found on the football pitch, then the stadium of local Leuven team, Oud-Heverlee Leuven, may be more to your liking. B2B & Conferencing For those looking to meet and confer in Belgium, Leuven's central location makes it an ideal alternative to the often crowded – and expensive – venues of Brussels. And because Leuven is a renowned centre for © BeerTourism.com medical research, top-flight ICT companies, and the Belgian biotech industry, it has developed a strong capacity for hosting events and conferences, for both academic and business purposes. Because of its small size, Leuven makes for an superb location for those who want to ensure their guests and attendees can be immersed in all that Belgian culture has to offer. There's much less of a faceless and bland feel to the venues here (something often found in some of the larger cities).

For example, there's the creative meeting space of the former Artois brewery at Den Hoorn, the historic calm of the Faculty Club in the Grand Beguinage, and the stylish buzz of The Loft meeting rooms – just to name a few. The local Leuven MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, Events) office is especially focussed on helping businesses to develop their convention, meeting and exhibition ideas in the city. It can advise on the logistical side of organizing meetings and conventions, and suggest the best venues and locations. MICE Leuven will even help with enquiries on the availability of venues, and can help get discounts and special offers from hotels, convention and exhibition centres, and group-booked restaurants. Map for Leuven More Towns and Cities in Belgium Poperinge Beer and travel guide for anyone visiting Poperinge, the hops capital of Belgium. Where to stay, visit, eat and drink in or close to Poperinge. [ more... ] Sint-Truiden Beer, travel and tourism guide for visitors to Sint-Truiden in Limburg. Information about where to eat, drink beer and visit in and around Sint-Truiden. [ more...

] Namur A beer, travel and tourism visitors guide to Namur. Details of tourist attractions, where to eat, sleep and drink when visiting Namur. [ more... ] Nieuwpoort Travel and beer guide for the Belgian coastal city of Nieuwpoort. Information about where to eat, drink, stay and things to do when visiting Nieuwpoort. [ more... ] Kortrijk Beer, travel and tourism guide for those visiting Kortrijk in Belgium. Information about where to eat, drink, stay and visit in Kortrijk. [ more... ] Ypres A beer, travel and tourist guide for visitors to the Belgian city of Ypres (Ieper). Information about where to eat, stay and visit in Ypres. [ more... ] Bouillon Beer, travel and tourism guide for the picturesque city of Bouillon in the Ardennes. Things to see, do, where to stay, eat and drink when visiting Bouillon. [ more... ] Ostend Travel and beer guide for the Belgian coastal city of Ostend (Oostende). Information about where to eat, drink, stay and things to do when visiting Ostend. [ more...

] SHARE: Stella Artois, Leuven, Belgium | Brewery tours around the world | MNN - Mother Nature Network Brewery tours around the world By: WomansDay .com on March 25, 2011, 1:30 p.m. 9 of 11 Stella Artois, Leuven, Belgium When the DeHoorn brewery, open since 1366, first brewed its Stella Artois beer, it was intended to be a special holiday run — the name is a combination of the Latin word for star (stella) and the name of the brewery's founder, Sebastien Artois. But it was such a hit that they made it a permanent offering. Visitors to the Stella Artois brewery in Leuven can take an hour-long tour, which guides them through the brewing hall and filing lines, and quench their thirst post-tour with a Stella in the brewery's Den Thuis bar. Admission: €6 ($8).

The tasty history of 9 mouthwatering cookies Stella Artois, Leuven, Belgium When the DeHoorn brewery, open since 1366, first brewed its Stella Artois beer, it was intended to be a special holiday run — the name is a combination of the Latin word for star (stella) and the name of the brewery's founder, Sebastien Artois. But it was such a hit that they made it a permanent offering. Visitors to the Stella Artois brewery in Leuven can take an hour-long tour, which guides them through the brewing hall and filing lines, and quench their thirst post-tour with a Stella in the brewery's Den Thuis bar. Admission: €6 ($8).

SPONSORED Stella Artois | Beer Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Stella Artois Logo 2015 Stella Artois brewery in Leuven Stella Artois is a 5.2% ABV global lager first brewed in Leuven, Belgium in 1926 as a Christmas brew, and named Stella after the Latin for "star." [1] Although Belgium is best known internationally for its ales, the so-called "table beers," the bottom-fermented pilsner lagers such as Stella Artois head the list for domestic consumption, making up almost 75% of Belgian beer production. Stella is promoted as an international brand by its brewer, InBev . In its home market of Belgium, however, it is marketed, priced and sold as a regular lager. It is brewed in Belgium and the United Kingdom , as well as other countries, including Australia . Much of the Stella Artois exported from Europe is currently produced at the InBev Brewery in Belgium, and packaged in the Beck's brewery in Bremen, Germany .

The Anno 1366 on the Stella Artois logo refers to the origin of brewing in the city of Leuven. The city's tax records dated 1366 mention the existence of a local brewpub called Den Hoorn, ('Hoorn' in Flemish meaning 'Horn' in English, as is represented in the logo on the beer label). The name Artois was coupled to the brewery in 1708, when new owner Sebastian Artois achieved the title of Master Brewer . The frame that surrounds the name Stella Artois on the label refers to the traditional style of window frame found in Flemish architecture. Stella Artois is available on draught and in several packaged sizes, including a 275 ml bottle, 284 ml bottle, a 330 ml bottle, a 440 ml can, a 50cl can, a pint size can known as "La Grande Biere" (568 ml), 66 cl bottle, 70 cl bottle and a 1-liter bottle.

Contents 1366 - Records of taxes exist on Leuven's Den Horen Brewery, a brewery that is still in existence today. 1708 - Sebastian Artois becomes the master brewer at Den Horen. 1717 - Sebastian Artois gives his name to the brewery. 1926 - Stella Artois was launched initially as a seasonal beer especially for the Christmas holiday market. 1930 - The first Stella Artois beer is exported to the European market. 1960 - 1 million hectoliters of Stella Artois is produced annually for the first time. 1993 - InBev open a new fully automated brewery in Leuven. 2006 - Total production volume reaches over 10 million hectoliters annually. Advertising Edit For some time, Stella Artois' advertising slogan in the United Kingdom was "Reassuringly Expensive". The UK television advertising campaigns became known for their distinctive style of imitating European cinema and their leitmotiv inspired by Giuseppe Verdi's La forza del destino.

The campaigns began with a series of adverts based on Jean de Florette, moving on to other genres including war movies, silent comedy and even surrealism (for which the slogan was changed to "Reassuringly Elephants"). They have used notable movie directors such as Jonathan Glazer, and their aim was to portray the drink in a context of sophisticated European culture. During 2007, the "reassuringly expensive" slogan was dropped, and the word "Stella" has been avoided in the advertisements. This has been seen as a reaction to the lager's perceived connection with aggression and binge-drinking in the United Kingdom, where it is nicknamed "wife beater". [2] In Belgium, Stella Artois is promoted as Mijn thuis is waar mijn Stella staat and Chez moi, c'est près de ma Stella (My home is where my Stella is). Interestingly, in Belgium, Stella is sold as a regular lager and does not enjoy the more flattering reputation it has abroad. Stella Artois is also brewed in Abbotsford, Melbourne by Carlton & United Beverages for the Australian market under license from InBev. Stella Artois has had a long association with film.

Dating back to 1994 (in the UK), the beer has organized a range of events as well as TV sponsorship of Channel 4 films and a website. Most recently the beer brand has adopted the new identity - Studio Artois. Stella Artois has been a primary sponsor of the film festivals at Cannes and Sundance. In May 2008, an advertising campaign was run in the United Kingdom reporting that Stella Artois is only made from four ingredients: hops , malted barley , maize and water . Technically, the process also uses agents such as yeast for fermentation and isinglass for clarification [1] ; "The animal product that we use is Isinglass (fish finings). This is a clarification agent made from certain fish. It assists clarification by attracting the yeast cells causing them to coagulate into larger particles which then separate from the beer, giving the beer a clean and clear appearance." (Interbrew 19-Nov-2003).

See also Peeterman Artois , a 4% wheat-based lager often sold alongside Stella Artois in the UK Artois Bock , a 6.2% 'brown' beer to be phased out and replaced by Eiken Artois Eiken Artois , a5.6% 'oak aged' lager sold alongside Stella Artois in the UK References Add To Shopping List 12 bottles A celebration of Belgian beer. 6 Stella Artois, 3 Hoegaarden, 3 Leffe. A celebration of Belgian beer. Leffe Blonde was first brewed in 1240 by the monks of Abbaye de Notre Dame de Leffe, in the Belgian province of Namur. Only the finest ingredients are chosen to create this full-flavored, bright, golden ale. A spicy, faintly clove-like aroma draws you in to reveal Leffe's creamy body and restrained dry finish. Stella Artois has a rich brewing heritage that dates back to 1366 in Leuven, Belgium, where it was first brewed to celebrate the holiday season.

Named Stella (Latin for the word star) because of its exceptional clarity, demand for this special lager soon led to it being brewed year-round. Traditional malted barley and the best European hops give Stella Artois its superior quality and full flavor. Naturally, cloudy, Hoegaarden is the original Belgian Wheat Beer whose heritage dates back to the 15th century in the small Belgian villa that bears its name. The secret to Hoegaarden's refreshing flavor and spicy nose is real Curacao orange peel and a dash of coriander. Always enjoy responsibly. UPC/PLU: 18200209826 ? Oldest breweries in the world DrinkWire Oldest breweries in the world Contributed by Vgulp on Mar 18, 2015 7 Seven readers love this post. Ale, a type of beer, is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages produced by the humans. Carbon dating and research reveals that the first beer was brewed 7000 years ago. However, commercial brewing of beer did not start until the first brewery was setup, still operating, in Germany in the year 1040. Here is the list of the oldest functioning breweries in the world. 1.

WEIHENSTEPHANER – GERMANY 1040 This is the first brewery that was ever licensed for commercial production of Beer. The unit was setup in 1040 and has been producing beer ever since. The brands of beer produced here are Weihenstephaner Weissbier, Infinium, Vitus and Korbinian to name a few. 2. WELTENBURGER KLOSTERBRAUEREI - GERMANY 1050 Weltenburg Abbey brewery (Weltenburger Klosterbrauerei) is by some reckonings the oldest monastery brewery in the world, having been in operation since 1050, although the title is disputed by Weihenstephan Abbey. Their ″Weltenburger Kloster Barock Dunkel″ has won the World Beer Cup award in 2004, 2008 and 2012. The brewery also has a restaurant for the guests to feast on sumptuous classic German cuisine, cheese and freshly brewed beer. 3. AFFLIGEM - BELGIUM 1074 The abbey of Affligem was founded around 1074.

The label "anno 1074" on the Affligem beer bottles is based on the foundation history. This is located very close to Brussels, the capital of Belgium. The brewery is now owned by Heineken. Affligem Blonde, Affligem Dubbel, Affligem Tripel and Affligem Patersvat are some of the brands. 4. PRIVATBRAUEREI BOLTEN - GERMANY 1266 The brewery is located at Korschenbroich-Neersbroich. Brewery license was received in 1266 when it started brewing renowned beers as Bolten Alt, Bolten Ur-Alt, Bolten Ur-Weizen, Bolten Malz, Bolten Landbier and Bolten Helles. 5. AUGUSTINER: MUNICH, GERMANY- 1328 This brewery is located in Munich, Germany. This is the oldest independent brewery. The manufacturer operates a beer tent at every Oktoberfest and owns Munich’s largest beer garden. Their most popular beer is Augustiner Helles.

The other brands are Edelstoff, Augustiner Dunkles, Augustiner Pils, and Augustiner Weißbier. Seasonal beers are Oktoberfestbier, a style of beer known as Märzen in German, specially brewed for the Oktoberfest. Augustiner′s Oktoberfest beer and Edelstoff are the only beers at the festival that are still served from traditional wooden barrels. Maximator is a seasonal strong beer brewed during the Lent season. 6. STELLA ARTOIS: LEUVEN, BELGIUM- 1366 Established in 1366, the brewery was called Den Hoorn brewery, until it was purchased by Sebastian Artois, a brew master, in 1717. The name was then changed to Artois brewery. Stella Artois is the name of the brand of Beer that is brewed here. 7. STIEGL BREWERY: SALZBURG, AUSTRIA- 1492 One of the most common brands of beer in Austria, The Stiegl, is brewed in the Stiegl Brewery since 1492. The brewery has a large museum and serves beer on the house when you visit.

The brands of beer they produce are Stiegl Helles, Stiegl Hefeweizen. They also have a speciality grapefruit beer. 8. GROLSCH BREWERY: GROENLO, NETHERLANDS 1615 The Dutch brewery was founded in 1615 by Willem Neerfeldt in Groenlo. The brewery has been owned by the SAB Miller group since 2008. They have a vast range of beers produced on a regular basis. Some of them are Grolsch Pilsner, Blond, Light and Weizen. Speciality brews include Lemon and Cranberry Rose to name some. They also produce the Amsterdam Brand of beers which are mainly low priced strong brews. 9. ST. FRANCIS ABBEY BREWERY- 1710 The St. Francis Abbey brewery is the oldest in Ireland. The same was founded by John Smithwick in 1710. The brewery is known for their brand of beer, Kilkenny and Smithwicks Draught. This brewery is currently owned by Diageo, who purchased it along with Guinness. 10. ST.

JAMES GATE BREWERY- 1759 St. James Gate brewery was founded by Arthur Guinness in 1759. The brewery was originally leased out to Arthur Guinness for 45 Pounds a year for 9000 years. It became the largest brewery in the world by 1886 selling 1.2 Million barrels of beer. Now it is still the largest Stout Beer Brewery in the world. This is spread over 64 acres now. The famous brand is Guinness which comes in various varieties and is also sold as a draught beer. A hotelier, trained bartender and a wine and spirit specialist. Creation of new cocktails, innovative methods of serving and responsible drinking are my interests. I am an avid reader and a traveller too Miami Spice | Stella Artois Stella Artois Share This Print Sponsor Highlight Miami Spice would not be possible without the support of our sponsors. Find out more about the companies who are sponsoring this year's Miami Spice. Stella Artois® The Best of Belgium Beers – Stella Artois, Hoegaarden and Leffe Belgium is renowned for its vibrant and diverse beer culture.

A rich tradition of culinary invention and improvisation, combined with centuries of brewing passion and expertise, helped craft a stunning variety of beer styles enjoyed around the world. Stella Artois’ rich brewing heritage dates back to 1366 in Leuven, Belgium, where it was first brewed to celebrate the holiday season. Traditional malted barley and the highest quality European hops give Stella Artois its full flavor and delicately crisp finish. Hoegaarden is the Original Belgian Wheat Beer, dating back to the 15th Century. A naturally cloudy beer, Hoegaarden features a secret to its refreshing flavor and spicy nose: real Curacao orange peel and a dash of coriander. Leffe Blonde was first brewed in 1240 by the monks of the Abbaye de Nortre Dame de Leffe in Belgium. A spicy, faintly clove-like aroma is balanced by Leffe’s creamy body and restrained dry finish. A Special Thanks To Our Sponsors Miami Spice would not be possible without the support of our sponsors. Find out more about the companies who are sponsoring this year's Miami Spice.

Stella-Artois logo NEW A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 0-9 Stella Artois logo Tax records exist from 1366 for Leuven's Dennis Horeney's Brewery. In 1708, Sebastianus Artois became the master brewer at Den Horen, and gave his name to the brewery in 1717. In 1926, Stella Artois was launched initially as a seasonal beer especially for the Christmas holiday market. It was first sold in Canada and it was such a commercial success that the brand became available year round and, apart from the duration of the Second World War, has been produced ever since. The first Stella Artois beer was exported to the European market in 1930. By 1960, 100 million litres of Stella Artois was being produced annually. InBev opened a new fully automated brewery in Leuven in 1993, and by 2006, total production volume was over a billion litres annually.

The current package design and bottle design and shape was created in 1988 by David Taylor, founder of Taylorbrands. The design replaced a 1960s design and is inspired by the original 1926 bottle label. The design incorporates the horn symbol of the Den Horen brewery and the date 1366 which is the date of the earliest recorded brewing in Leuven. The label also shows medals for excellence awarded to the brewery at a number of trade exhibitions in Belgium in the 19th and 20th century. The name Stella Artois is held within a "cartouche" which was influenced by the style of Belgian architecture of Leuvenes. For some time, Stella Artois' advertising slogan in the United Kingdom was "Reassuringly Expensive". The UK television advertising campaigns became known for their distinctive style of imitating European cinema and their leitmotiv inspired by Giuseppe Verdi's La forza del destino.

The campaigns began with a series of adverts based on Jean de Florette, directed by the British duo Anthea Benton and Vaughan Arnell, moving on to other genres including war movies, silent comedy and even surrealism They have used notable movie directors such as Jonathan Glazer, and their aim was to portray the drink in a context of clever words in the European culture. During 2007, the "reassuringly expensive" slogan was dropped, and the word "Stella" has been avoided in the advertisements. This has been seen as a reaction to the lager's perceived connection with aggression and binge-drinking in the United Kingdom, where it is nicknamed "wife beater".[8][9] To counter this image, a new brand of lower strength beer is now being marketed in the UK - Stella Artois La Nouvelle 4.[10][11] Curiously, Stella Artois never refers to its Belgian origin, and regularly portrays an image that it is French. In Belgium, Stella Artois is promoted as Mijn thuis is waar mijn Stella staat and Chez moi, c'est près de ma Stella (My home is where my Stella is.).

In Belgium, Stella is sold as a regular lager and does not enjoy the more flattering reputation it has abroad. Stella Artois has had a long association with film. Dating back to 1994 (in the UK), the beer has organised a range of events as well as TV sponsorship of Channel 4 films and a website. Most recently the beer brand has adopted the new identity — Studio Artois. Stella Artois has been/is a primary sponsor of the film festivals of Cannes, Melbourne and Sundance. In May 2008, an advertising campaign ran in the United Kingdom reporting that Stella Artois is made from only four ingredients: hops, malted barley, maize and water. Technically, the process also uses agents such as yeast for fermentation. Since 2009, Stella Artois has been brewed to be suitable for vegetarians after over 200 years of treating with isinglass (made from fish) to clear the yeast from the brewed beer. In 2009, the band All Time Low released a song called Stella, and it was revealed that the song was not based on a girl but the beer brand, Stella Artois.

An advertisement for Stella Artois featuring actor Adrien Brody aired during Super Bowl XLV in February 2011. Though Anheuser-Busch InBev is a regular advertiser during the Super Bowl, this was the first time Stella Artois has been featured in a Super Bowl ad (Budweiser and Bud Light are the only Anheuser-Busch InBev brands that are normally featured in the company Super Bowl commercials).[12]

Question: Which beer was first brewed in Leuven in 1366?
Answer: STELLA ARTOIS